Earlier in the year I was approached by Diana Strinati Baur to illustrate the book cover of her forthcoming novel True Vines. This was the secret project I mentioned on my facebook page back in March. It is due to be published in paperback and eformats on the 1st November by Gemelli Press. Above is my original illustration and how it was used for the cover.

Anyone who has followed my work for a while knows I don't like doing portraits. By portraits I mean the family portrait in pencil or watercolour. They are easy enough, but I find them a trial and unenjoyable. However, periodically I get a commission that I can't refuse. Before the summer I was commissioned to draw a man's wife for her birthday. I completed the drawing last month, but as her birthday is in October I waited to post it. Not only is this a pencil portrait, but it was drawn far larger than I would normally do, 50x70cm, eeek.

Please don't ask me to do one for you, but you can commission me to draw landscapes and buildings.

On Tuesday the Women's Guild Oman held a Pink Party, a breast cancer awareness coffee morning, with profits going to both the cancer charities MacMillian, which I believe is a UK based charity, and a donation to NACA here in Oman. Not being someone who likes pink, I bought a pink scarf to wear & joined the other ladies dressed in pink for the occassion.

No cameras are allowed in the British Ambassador's residence, which wasn't a problem for me as I sketched the ladies with my new Inktense pink pencil and new waterbrush. For some reason, as I was using a coloured pencil for the pink, I also drew in pencil when I was there. This is doubly strange as I started the first page in ink through drawing my scarf before leaving home.

I'm slowly generating interest in sketching here in Muscat and I arranged another event for yesterday. It was the most successful so far with over 30 people attending, and more turning up after we had stopped due to poor light (it was actually too dark too see).

People of all ages joined in; Mr Shakil brought his whole family along and everyone from mother-in-law down to his youngest child drew. I was especially pleased that quite a few Omanis joined us as, like sport, I think art can join communities. The enthusiasm of the children was the best part as they ran around showing what they had drawn.

I arrived nearly an hour early as I anticipated lack of sketching time for me due to over 70 people saying they would attend via the facebook event page. I grabbed a couple of tables under the shade and drew my snack. I finally tested the waterbrush that my Barcelona friends had said to buy along with Intense pencils (bought this week as I need a pink pencil for a breast-cancer awareness charity event) and later shared these new toys with others. I did sketch a few people on the beach after people started arriving, but spent most of the 2.5 hours talking to the participants.

I think everyone had fun and I was especially pleased to keep getting asked "When is the next one?". About a month's time is the answer.

About me

I am a nomadic artist travelling the world for inspiration. Here, I publish my sketchbook work alongside my new finished pieces.